Camera with film spacer

ABSTRACT

A film pack type camera having a spacer which is removably insertible into the camera at a location to be received in front of the film, in a manner shifting the plane of the film slightly rearwardly relative to the camera lens, to thus correspondingly alter the subject-to-camera distance at which an image of the subject is in focus on the film, and thereby allow for easy and rapid, but precise, conversion of the camera between two different subject-to-camera distance conditions.

United States Patent 1191 Bahnsen June 12, 1973 1 CAMERA WITH FILMSPACER 257,206 5/1882 Blair 95/11 R 1 lnvemon Gerhard Bahnw Box 132132331333 32392213: 31:11:: 3331:: 33/11 1% 1297, South Lake Tahoe, Callf-1,724,866 8/1929 Allison 95/11 R 75705 [22] Filed: May 18, 1970 PrimaryExaminer-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant ExaminerMichael Harris [21] App!38442 Attorney-William P. Green [52] US. Cl. 95/24, 95/26, 95/37, 5ABSTRACT 95/45 A n kt h 511 11.1. c1. G03b 19/10 "g e g 51*; a Space; w1 [58] Field 61 Search 95 23, 24, 26, 37, Y 1" e e l a e 95/45 receivedln front of the film, m a manner shlftlng the plane of the film slightlyrearwardly relative to the cam- [59 221212 2312:52211323152223;2:222:21;UNITED STATES PATENTS focus on the film, and thereby allow for easy andrapid, 50,555 10/1865 Burcaw 95/45 b t e i e, onversion of the camerabetween two dif- 313691470 2/1968 Downey 95/26 X ferentsubject-to-camera distance conditions. 2,584,311 2/1952 Wells 95/371,592,705 7/1926 Piloty 95/45 X 7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures CAMERA WITHFILM SPACER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates toimproved means for changing the subject-to-camera distance for which acamera is set.

In a number of different occupation s, hobby situations and other fieldsof endeavor, it is desirable to provide camera equipment which can beoperated by persons with very limited photographic knowledge and skill,but which will under certain predetermined fairly standard photographicconditions produce pictures of very high and uniform quality. Forexample, it is desirable that law enforcement officers with relativelylittle photographic training be capable of taking photographs ofevidenciary items, crime or accident scenes, or the like, in the fieldvery rapidly and with reliability. To attain these purposes, camerashaving fixed focus and other settings, or which may be adjusted to andutilized more or less permanently in certain predetermined settings,have been devised and employed, often in conjunction with holders whichcan support the camera in a predetermined manner or in a predeterminedorientation with respect to the subject being photographed.

In many situations of the discussed type, it may be necessary to takepictures frequently at two different focus settings, in which thesubject is to be located at two different distances from the camera.However, if an adjustment of the lens itself is relied on for conversionbetween these two focus settings, this introduces into the picturetaking procedure more complexity than would be desired, may detract fromthe precision of focus which is attainable in a rigidly mountednonadjustable fixed focus lens arrangement, and may introduce otherdisadvantages in use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a unique devicefor very rapidly and effectively converting a camera between twodifferent focus conditions without the necessity for adjustment of thelens itself, and in a manner positively assuring complete accuracy offocus in each of two or more different camera-to-subject focalconditions. This result is attained by employment of a spacer which isremovably connectible to the camera at a location to shift the plane ofthe film rearwardly a short but accurately predetermined distancerelative to the lens, to in this way correspondingly alter thesubject-tocamera distance for which the lens is focused. The spacer ispreferably utilized in conjunction with a film pack type camera, and isslidable into and out of the same guideway which receives the film packitself during a picture taking operation. Thus, a person with verylittle photographic experience can take precisely focused pictures attwo predetermined commonly used subject-to'camera distances, and caneasily and rapidly convert between these two focus conditions by simplyinserting or removing the spacer in the camera guideway. The spacer mayhave detenting means formed thereon which coact with the body of thecamera to releasably retain the spacer in position in the camera, andwhich coact with the film pack to releasably retain it in its picturetaking position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The above and other features andobjects of the invention will be better understood from the followingdetailed description of the typical embodiment illustrated in theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a camera having a spacer embodying theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, but showinga film pack in position in the camera, with the spacer removed;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, and showing both the film pack andspacer in position in the camera;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 4'-4 ofFIG. 3',

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary view taken partially on line5-5 of FIG. 1, but with the upper portion of the camera body broken awayin one location to reveal the horizontal sectional configuration of aportion of the body and the spacer;

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the spacer, with the camera body illustrated inbroken lines; and,

FIG. 7 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference first to FIG. 1,I have shown at 10 an essentially fixed focus type of camera which isdesigned for use with a conventional rectangular film pack or slide 11,containing at least one film 13 adapted to be exposed after removal of arectangular shield or plate 12 from the pack. If two films are presentin the pack, they may be adapted for exposure from opposite sides of thepack, with two of the plates 12 being provided for the two filmsrespectively.

The camera may include a rigid box-like body whose upper and lower walls15 and 16, and opposite side walls 17 and 18, all may converge or taperforwardly as they advance toward the front wall 19 which carries theusual lens 20. As indicated previously, the lens 20 is of fixed focus,and, produces on film 13 in the FIG. 2 normal position of the film pack11 a focused image of a subject at a predetermined normal distance fromthe camera. This normal subject-to-camera distance is very preciselypredetermined by the characteristics of the lens and the presetdimension a (FIG. 2) between the plane of the,lens and the plane of film13.

To mount the film pack 11 accurately in the normal FIG. 2 position atthe back of the camera, and at right angles to the axis 21 of the lens,the back side of the camera body 14 is shaped to form a rectangularguideway 22 into which the film pack is slidable transversely of axis21. This guideway is defined at its upper side by a horizontallyextending rearwardly projecting flange 23 having a horizontal planarundersurface 24 for engaging the upper edge, of film pack 11. The bottomof the guideway is defined by a similar horizontally extending and aparallel rearwardly projecting second flange 25, having an upper planarhorizontal surface 26 disposed parallel to surface 24 of flange 23, forengaging the bottom edge of the film pack. The vertical spacing betweenthe two surfaces 24 and 26 corresponds very closely to the verticalheight of film pack 11, to closely receive the pack and guide it forlateral sliding movement into and out of its picture taking position atthe back of the camera.

A third side of the rectangular guideway 22 for receiving film pack 11is defined by a third rearwardly projecting flange 27 (FIG. 2) whichextends vertically at the left side of the camera as viewed in FIG. 1,and which has a vertical planar surface 28 engaging the inner edge 29 ofthe film pack to limit its sliding movement into the camera at the FIG.2 position. The opposite vertical side of the guideway is left open (theright side as viewed in FIG. 1) to allow insertion and removal of thefilm pack.

The film pack 11 in its FIG. 2 picture taking position bears forwardlyagainst a vertical planar rear surface 29 formed on the back of thecamera body 14, which surface contains and defines a rectangular frameopening 30 through which light from lens passes to film 13.

The back side of the film pack receiving guideway 22 is closed by aspring pressed rigid retaining plate 31, which is of essentiallyrectangular configuration except for the provision of two laterallyprojecting tabs 32 at the open side of the guideway recess. At its upperand lower sides and left side as viewed in FIG. 1, the film retainingplate 31 has edges which follow essentially along and are closelyadjacent the three flanges 23, 25 and 27.

Plate 31 of course lies in a vertical plane, parallel to the verticalplane of surface 29 formed at the back side of the camera, and isyieldingly urged forwardly by two leaf springs 33 and 34 extending alongthe back side of the flanges 23 and 25. Each of these leaf springs issecured at its center by a screw or other fastener 35 to a centralportion of the corresponding flange 23 or 25, and then extends laterallyin both directions from that fastener to connect at its opposite ends toa pair of vertical parallel pins 36 which project into and are rigidlysecured to corresponding enlargements or bosses 37 formed on andprojecting rearwardly from plate 31. Thus, the plate 31 is urgedforwardly at four different locations against film pack 11 to hold thefilm pack tightly against the back surface 29 of the camera body.

The film pack 1 1. has at its forward side a vertical forwardlyprojecting detent rib 38 (FIG. 2), which in the fully inserted FIG. 2position of the film pack is receivable within a correspondingly shapedand dimensioned vertically extending rearwardly facing groove 39 formedin the back surface 29 of the camera body. Thus, when the film pack isreceived in its FIG. 2 position, the detenting engagement of rib 38 andrecess 39 releasably retains the film against unwanted dislocation fromthe film guideway.

The present invention is particularly concerned with the provision, inconjunction with the above discussed camera structure, of a spacer 40,which can be inserted to the FIG. 3 position in the film receivingguideway 22, and which then causes the film 13 within pack 1 l to bespaced an increased distance a from the plane of lens 20, as comparedwith the distance a of FIG. 2, to thus change the focal characteristicsof the camera and produce a precisely focused image on the film when thesubject-to-camera distance is a predetermined value less than that forwhich the normal arrangement of FIG. 2 is designed.

Spacer 40 is essentially a flat planar element, disposed in a verticalplane perpendicular to axis 21 of the lens and film. More particularly,the spacer (which of course is formed of an opaque material) has aforward planar surface 41 and a rear planar surface 42 disposed parallelto surface 41, and contains a rectangular opening 43 (FIGS. 1 and 6)which is shaped the same as rectangular opening 30 formed by the backwall of the camera, and which in the fully inserted FIG. 3 position ofthe spacer is exactly opposite and forms in effect a continuation ofcamera opening 30. The upper and lower edges 44 and 45 of the spacer areparallel to one another and extend horizontally in the FIG. 1 positionof the camera, and are spaced apart a distance corresponding to surfaces24 and 26 of flanges 23 and 25 (FIG. 4) to guide the spacer 40 forsliding movement into and out of the film receiving guideway 22. At itsleft side, as viewed in FIG. 6, the spacer 40 has a vertical edge 46which is perpendicular to edges 44 and 45 and is received closelyadjacent and extends along and parallel to surface 28 of body flange 27in the FIG. 3 fully inserted position of the spacer. At its right side,the spacer has a tab portion 47, which may be of reduced thickness asseen in FIG. 5 to space the tab away from the film slide and avoidinterference therewith, and which projects laterally beyond the rightedge 48 of the camera body to allow grasping of tab 47 of the spacer inorder to remove it from the camera body when desired.

Near its right side, the spacer 40 may have on its front face a verticalrib 49 which continues through the entire vertical height of the spacerand is dimensioned and positioned to be received within the previousymentioned groove 39 formed in the rear face of the camera body when thespacer is in its FIGS. 3 and 5 fully installed position. Similarly, theback face or surface 42 of the spacer 40 contains a vertical recesslocated directly behind rib 49 and extending through the entire verticalheight of the spacer, and positioned and dimensioned to receive thepreviously mentioned forwardly projecting vertical rib 38 formed on thefilm pack 11 when both the spacer and film pack are in their fullyinstalled positions of FIGS. 3 and 5.

To now describe the manner of use of the camera, assume first of allthat it is desired to take a series of pictures at a predetermined firstsubject-to-camera distance for which the camera is designed without useof spacer 40. To take such pictures, an operator merely inserts the filmpack 11 laterally into the guideway formed in the back of the camerainto the FIG. 2 position, then removes one of the protective shields 11from the pack, and actuates the shutter associated with lens 20 toexpose the film. A subject at the predetermined proper distance from thecamera will then be imaged accurately in focus on the film to produce afocused picture of high quality. If it is desired to take one or morepictures at the shorter predetermined subjectto-camera distance forwhich spacer 40 is designed, the user inserts spacer 40 laterally intothe guideway in the back of the camera, as represented in FIG. 1, andthen inserts a film pack into the guideway behind the spacer and infront of retaining plate 31. The parts are then received in the positionof FIG. 3, in which the film is held at a changed distance a from thelens, to thus produce a precisely focused image on the film at a changedand accurately predeterminable subject-to-camera distance. The camera isthus easily convertible between its two different focus conditions,without changing the position or condition of lens 20 in any way. Also,the detenting engagement of rib 49 withthe camera body enables thespacer 40 to be releasably retained in the camera body while a series offilm packs are inserted and removed successively. Each film pack thusinserted is itself detented in proper position within the guideway byengagement of its rib 38 with the recess 50 formed in the back side ofthe spacer. As will be apparent, the

leaf springs 33 and 34 which urge film retaining plate 31 forwardly aredesigned to have a sufficiently wide range of movement in a front torear direction to enable the rear plate to exert forward force againstthe film only in the FIG. 2 position, and against both the film andspacer in the FIG. 3 position, to thus hold the film in position ineither of these two conditions.

If the film pack 11 is of a reversible type, in which a second film ispositioned for use by removing the pack from the camera and thenreinserting it with its second side facing forwardly, that second sideof the pack may have a second projection similar to projection 38 forreception in detenting relation within groove 39 or 50 of the camerabody or spacer.

While a certain specific embodiment of the present invention has beendisclosed as typical, the invention is of course not limited to thisparticular form, but rather is applicable broadly to all such variationsas fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An assembly comprising a camera body; a lens mounted to said body;film retaining means at the rear of said body defining a generallytransverse guideway, a film holder and carried film insertible into saidguideway to a position for focusing an image through said lens on thefilm; and a focal adapter spacer removably slidable into said guidewayin front of said film holder and operable when present to shift theplane of said film a predetermined distance rearwardly relative to saidlens in a relation changing the subject-to-camera distance at which theimage is in focus on the film; said film retaining means including meansforming a rearwardly facing locating shoulder on the body against whichsaid spacer is engageable forwardly, an essentially rectangular platedefining the back side of said guideway mounted movably to said body andyieldingly urged forwardly relative thereto in a relation urging boththe film holder and spacer forwardly relative to said body and relativeto said locating shoulder to positions limited by the shoulder, and leafsprings at the upper and lower edges of said plate connected to theplate and the camera body and yieldingly urging the plate forwardlyrelative to the camera body, said camera body having an essentiallyrectangular opening at its back side through which light passes fromsaid lens to the film, said rearwardly facing locating shoulder beingformed on the body about said opening and extending essentiallyrectangularly thereabout, there being a vertical recess formed in saidbody at a side of said rectangular opening, said focal adapter spacerbeing essentially planar and externally substantially rectangular andcontaining a substantially rectangular opening registering with saidopening in the body to pass said light from the lens to the film, andhaving a forwardly facing surface extending rectangularly about saidopening in the spacer and engageable with said cating shoulder on thebody entirely about the openings, said spacer having a vertical ribreceivable within said groove in the body to releasably retain thespacer in position within said guideway, said film holder being a flatfilm pack located behind said spacer and between the spacer and saidplate and having a front surface engageable with said spacer in lightsealed relation rectangularly about said opening in the spacer, saidfilm pack having a vertical rib receivable within a vertical grooveformed in the back of said spacer at a side of the opening in the spacerto releasably retain the film holder and spacer in predeterminedrelative positions, said film holder and spacer both having portionsprojecting laterally from the guideway when the holder and spacer arefully inserted therein and enabling manual grasping of the holder andspacer for insertion into and removal from the guideway.

2. An assembly comprising a camera body having an opening at its backside; a lens mounted to said body; film retaining means at the rear ofsaid body defining a generally transverse guideway into which a filmholder and carried film are insertible to a position for focusing animage through said lens and through said opening onto the film; and agenerally planar focal adapter spacer removably slidable generallytransversely of the axis of said lens into and out of an active positionin said guideway in front of said film holder and containing an openingreceivable opposite said opening in the body and through which lightpasses from said lens to the film; said focal adapter spacer beingconstructed and dimensioned to shift the plane of said film apredetermined distance rearwardly relative to said lens in a relationeffecting a predetermined change in the subject-to-camera distance atwhich the image is in focus on the film; said film retaining meansincluding means forming a rearwardly facing locating shoulder on thebody against which said spacer is engageable forwardly, a backingstructure mounted movably to said body defining the back of saidguideway and engageable forwardly against said film holder, and springmeans yieldingly urging said backing structure forwardly relative tosaid body and relative to said locating shoulder through a range ofmovement sufficient to urge said film holder against said shoulder whenthe spacer is not present, and to urge both the film holder and spacerforwardly to positions limited by engagement of the spacer with saidshoulder when the spacer is present; said spacer having a portion whichprojects laterally from said guideway, when the spacer is received inthe guideway, and is accessible for maual grasping of the spacer toinset it into and remove it from the guideway.

3. An assembly as recited in claim 2, in which said backing structure isa generally rectangular film retaining plate defining a back side ofsaid guideway, said spring means including springs connecting said plateto said camera body near peripheral edges of said plate and urging theplate forwardly.

4. An assembly as recited in claim 2, including detent means on saidfocal adapter spacer and said camera body for releasably retaining saidspacer against removal from the body.

5. An assembly as recited in claim 2, including lug and recess detentmeans on said back side of said body and said spacer interfitting in arelation releasably retaining said spacer against sliding removal froman active position behind said body.

6. An assembly as recited in claim 2, in which said spacer has at itsback side detenting means adapted to interfit with coacting means onsaid film holder in a re lationship releasably retaining the film holderand spacer against relative lateral sliding movement.

movement.

1. An assembly comprising a camera body; a lens mounted to said body;film retaining means at the Rear of said body defining a generallytransverse guideway, a film holder and carried film insertible into saidguideway to a position for focusing an image through said lens on thefilm; and a focal adapter spacer removably slidable into said guidewayin front of said film holder and operable when present to shift theplane of said film a predetermined distance rearwardly relative to saidlens in a relation changing the subject-to-camera distance at which theimage is in focus on the film; said film retaining means including meansforming a rearwardly facing locating shoulder on the body against whichsaid spacer is engageable forwardly, an essentially rectangular platedefining the back side of said guideway mounted movably to said body andyieldingly urged forwardly relative thereto in a relation urging boththe film holder and spacer forwardly relative to said body and relativeto said locating shoulder to positions limited by the shoulder, and leafsprings at the upper and lower edges of said plate connected to theplate and the camera body and yieldingly urging the plate forwardlyrelative to the camera body, said camera body having an essentiallyrectangular opening at its back side through which light passes fromsaid lens to the film, said rearwardly facing locating shoulder beingformed on the body about said opening and extending essentiallyrectangularly thereabout, there being a vertical recess formed in saidbody at a side of said rectangular opening, said focal adapter spacerbeing essentially planar and externally substantially rectangular andcontaining a substantially rectangular opening registering with saidopening in the body to pass said light from the lens to the film, andhaving a forwardly facing surface extending rectangularly about saidopening in the spacer and engageable with said locating shoulder on thebody entirely about the openings, said spacer having a vertical ribreceivable within said groove in the body to releasably retain thespacer in position within said guideway, said film holder being a flatfilm pack located behind said spacer and between the spacer and saidplate and having a front surface engageable with said spacer in lightsealed relation rectangularly about said opening in the spacer, saidfilm pack having a vertical rib receivable within a vertical grooveformed in the back of said spacer at a side of the opening in the spacerto releasably retain the film holder and spacer in predeterminedrelative positions, said film holder and spacer both having portionsprojecting laterally from the guideway when the holder and spacer arefully inserted therein and enabling manual grasping of the holder andspacer for insertion into and removal from the guideway.
 2. An assemblycomprising a camera body having an opening at its back side; a lensmounted to said body; film retaining means at the rear of said bodydefining a generally transverse guideway into which a film holder andcarried film are insertible to a position for focusing an image throughsaid lens and through said opening onto the film; and a generally planarfocal adapter spacer removably slidable generally transversely of theaxis of said lens into and out of an active position in said guideway infront of said film holder and containing an opening receivable oppositesaid opening in the body and through which light passes from said lensto the film; said focal adapter spacer being constructed and dimensionedto shift the plane of said film a predetermined distance rearwardlyrelative to said lens in a relation effecting a predetermined change inthe subject-to-camera distance at which the image is in focus on thefilm; said film retaining means including means forming a rearwardlyfacing locating shoulder on the body against which said spacer isengageable forwardly, a backing structure mounted movably to said bodydefining the back of said guideway and engageable forwardly against saidfilm holder, and spring means yieldingly urging said backing structureforwardly relatIve to said body and relative to said locating shoulderthrough a range of movement sufficient to urge said film holder againstsaid shoulder when the spacer is not present, and to urge both the filmholder and spacer forwardly to positions limited by engagement of thespacer with said shoulder when the spacer is present; said spacer havinga portion which projects laterally from said guideway, when the spaceris received in the guideway, and is accessible for maual grasping of thespacer to inset it into and remove it from the guideway.
 3. An assemblyas recited in claim 2, in which said backing structure is a generallyrectangular film retaining plate defining a back side of said guideway,said spring means including springs connecting said plate to said camerabody near peripheral edges of said plate and urging the plate forwardly.4. An assembly as recited in claim 2, including detent means on saidfocal adapter spacer and said camera body for releasably retaining saidspacer against removal from the body.
 5. An assembly as recited in claim2, including lug and recess detent means on said back side of said bodyand said spacer interfitting in a relation releasably retaining saidspacer against sliding removal from an active position behind said body.6. An assembly as recited in claim 2, in which said spacer has at itsback side detenting means adapted to interfit with coacting means onsaid film holder in a relationship releasably retaining the film holderand spacer against relative lateral sliding movement.
 7. An assembly asrecited in claim 2, including lug and recess detent means on said backside of said body and said spacer interfitting in a relation releasablyretaining said spacer against sliding removal from an active positionbehind said body, said spacer having at its back side additional detentmeans similar to a portion of said lug and recess means for releasablyholding the film holder and spacer against relative lateral slidingmovement.